September 01, 2011

Conquering Fears...

My UFO #7 in the Patchwork Times UFO Challenge is finished! Finally! I started this quilt about 1992 as a gift for my mom--so hmmmm almost twenty years ago--aren't you impressed with my speed of completion?

When I first started it, the pieces in each block were made of the same two fabrics, with a different two fabrics for each block, but when I put the blocks together, it looked too choppy, so I picked it all apart and stitched it back together with the fabrics mixed. (insanity!) Then I decided I wanted the outside triangles on the edge to both be dark to make a bit of definition. So I picked it apart again, and replaced the white with teal.

When the top was complete, I showed my mom. She is a non-sewer, non-quilter, and grew up in the age where poor people had quilts on their beds and rich people had bedspreads. (She was excited when she could afford a real bedspread.)

Her response to the top was, "Why would I want that?!"

Yes, I was crushed. But I spread the quilt top out on a queen size bed of mine, looked at it, and decided it would be better as king size anyway, given the block scale, and for balance. So I took it apart, and added a row. Of course I sewed the new row into the wrong place and had to pick it out again before it was put in correctly.

And, that is why a quilt takes twenty years to finish--lack of preplanning! I worry a bit that the fabric will fall apart the first time it's washed--it's been picked apart that much. Here's a closer view of the lovely quilting Yvette did, and the fabric on the back.

I wanted to hang it and take a long full photo, but it is just too big for me to handle--and yes, that is a whole lot of binding! And that's all I've accomplished this past month--at least that I finished. But I have an admission to make. I've started something new--and not just one new project, but TWO!

I've always been drawn to the circle type quilts I see on so many blogs, so I purchased a pattern called King George III Quilt, available here. It wasn't exactly what I had been looking for, but it was close enough and I didn't think I would ever draft circular patterns on my own. (I later figured out that the pattern I had been looking for is apparently a BOM from Amitie--oh well. There's also another lovely circle pattern called Camelot by Trish Harper if you, too, want circles.)

The King George pattern had languished in my sewing room due to my fear of hand piecing. I've tried hand piecing a bit in the past and found it difficult and tediously slow. But now for some reason, it doesn't seem so slow (perhaps it is at my pace now). Here's my first (and only) completed block.

It went together relatively well (although I was short on the green fabric so couldn't make all the pieces match completely--as my daughter points out.) And I guess the block isn't really done since it is still a circle and not yet put into a square, but since I'm not sure what I'm going to use as the background, this is done for now.

My second new project was with hexagons--another project I had postponed due to fear. It is from a wonderful French General kit, Reine des Abeilles, I won earlier this year from Thelma at Cupcakes N' Daisies. I had decided I would work on it this fall, so I cut out the pieces this month (to be ready, of course).

But then I couldn't wait, so I started piecing them together. Here's part of the first panel (on top of the other projects on my design wall).

Turns out that circles, hand piecing, and hexies aren't that scary after all!

15 comments:

I'm so sorry for your mom's reaction. I often worry about gifting quilts for that exact reason. (Sometimes they're called for, but I'm just unsure of the recipients.) It's such a beautiful quilt and I can't believe all the ripping and resewing you put into it. It's truly a treasure and the quilting is beautiful.

WOW! Thought I had a Old UFO that I finished this Month. I will gladly call myself a "poor" person, cause I want Quilts on ALL of my beds. One for each season is even better. Thanks for stopping by my Blog.

Your finish is beatiful! It sure looks well worth the twenty years and all the unstitching it took. I'm still working on both July and August -- no work for the next four days so I hope to make some progress.

Donna, my June UFO was about 20 years in the making. Two strips of it were unquilted once. But it was worth the wait. Funny I was going to make a green ocean waves quilt for my mom! Similar to your pattern, but not quite the same. Mom has a lovely quilt on her bed that she bought in a store.Cris

My mum told me straight up she dosent want a quilt from me so I know a little how you feel. I think your quilt is really stunning! I love that King George circle too!! A whole quilt of those would look amazing!

I feel that we do have to consider where a person came from in their remarks, and not be hurt by them. I would want to keep this quilt out and available to snuggle with as a reminder because it has such a long and windy story. Good work. It is now OTL = Off The List. Horrah!!! Judy C in NC

Your quilt turned out absolutely gorgeous!My Mom had the same view on quilts as yours. She couldn't understand why on earth I'd make a "blanket" when I could go to a store and buy one. LOL I'm glad it's staying where it can be appreciated. It truly is beautiful..and well worth the effort.